Question: Since
making excessive noise at the mention of Haman disturbs many people, is it
Halachically permissible to abolish it?

Answer:

1. The Rama
wrote: "...The custom that we strike [something at the mention of] Haman
when we read the Megilah in Shul has spread, and one should not abolish any
custom or mock it since it was not established for naught" (Orach Chaim
690:17). It is therefore forbidden to abolish this custom of Israel.

2. The Mishnah Berurah wrote, however, that a custom which has a
prohibited aspect to it may be abolished (Biur Halachah ibid.).

3. The basic nature of this custom does not contain any
prohibited aspect, and great Rabbis of Israel customarily performed it:
"And Ha-Gaon Yavetz (Rav Yaakov Emden) wrote regarding his father, the
Chacham Tzvi, that he would hit, stamp his foot and strike his sandal when he
arrived at the mention of Haman (Mishnah Berurah #59).According to the Shevet Musar, we also make
noise when Haman's wife and sons are mentioned.But in general, one should only make noise for Haman (Piskei Teshuvot
690:9).

4. Throughout the generations, however, many mishaps were caused
on account of this custom:

a. People did not
hear the reading of the Megilah. This means that the actual Mitzvah (and the
reason we are in Shul) was not fulfilled on account of a custom that is not
even observed in all places (Mishnah Berurah ibid.).

b. People have
behaved contrary to the Mitzvah of revering the Sanctuary. One should behave
with seriousness and reverence in a Shul, and not with joking and levity, since
the One who rests His Divine Presence is located within in it.

c. Damage has
been caused to objects in the Shul.

d. Distress has
been caused to fellow Jews.

e. Children have
been taught the opposite of what is required: children must learn that the
focus of being in Shul on Purim is listening to the Megilah and not striking
something at the mention of Haman.

5. There were therefore some communities that decided to abolish
making noise at the mention of Haman, and they publicly informed the entire
city not to strike objects at the mention of Haman (Yafeh Lalev #690). And
there was a time when the Sefardic Beit Din in Yerushalayim also held in this
way, as did the Rabbis of Kushta (Kol Sinai, Halichot Olam pg. 41).

6. There are those who say that if our Rabbi, the Rama, knew
where matters would lead, he would not have stated that one should not abolish
this custom. The authorities wrote however that if a custom has changed from
what it had been at the time of the Rishonim, it is permissible to abolish it
(Be’er Heteiv ibid. #15). And the Mishnah Berurah also wrote of those who
perform this custom: "their reward is canceled by their loss"
(690:59).And Ha-Rav Shlomo Zalman
Auerbach did not make any noise at Haman's name, not even by stamping his feet
(Ve-Alehu Lo Yibol, Vol. 1 p. 246).

7. Nevertheless,
if the proceedings are proper and correct – meaning that people hit objects
only in a manner that is appropriate for the holiness of a Shul, and do not
disturb the hearing of the Megilah while doing so, etc. - we should not abolish
this custom.

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